Episode 5: Long Live the Empress
by Keith Shaw
Summary: Princess Ardala's long awaited coronation has finally arrived and Buck is reminded of his promise to attend. However, Ardala's sister Anderia has plans of her own for the coronation ceremony, and they do not include Ardala. The fate of Earth rests upon Buck getting Ardala to the Coronation. But even if they make the ceremony, can he keep her alive long enough to become Empress?
1. Chapter 1

**Buck Rogers in the 25****th**** Century**

**Episode 5**

"**Long Live the Empress"**

**by**

**Keith M. Shaw**

**Chapter 1 (Prologue)**

He hesitated before the door for the longest moment. He already knew why the Princess had summoned him to her apartment. For most women, being invited to their apartment was usually a good thing. This woman was decidedly different, however. Very few people had ever seen the interior of the Princess's apartment, and many who had were never seen again. A wry smile creased the older man's lips for the briefest of moments. He wasn't worried about not coming back out. He knew why the princess had summoned him; she had a job for him. In fact, he had a good idea already what the job would be. It was most likely the same job she'd been trying to have done for the past three months now. He almost wondered why she hadn't called him earlier, but his busy schedule probably had something to do with it.

As he stood in front of the door, his thoughts turned to the woman inside. His smirk quickly faded as he took a long deep breath. Even though he didn't fear for his life, he did have many …other concerns. The princess was renowned throughout the realm for her beauty… and for her cruel temper. He wondered which side of her she would reveal to him today.

As he stood there contemplating his situation, his hand reached for the intercom on the side of the door. Almost before he realized what he was doing, he heard a faint, muffled buzzer sound inside the apartment. Instantly the door slid open.

"Enter," sounded a sweet, angelic voice from deep within the apartment.

One more deep breath and the man stepped confidently into the dim interior. The door slid shut behind him.

"You're late," the princess snapped.

He grinned slightly to himself as he absently checked his chronometer. _Actually I'm five minutes early_, he thought to himself, but he didn't dare vocalize it. This was merely a game she liked to play to immediately put herself in charge of the conversation and to set her opponent off guard, if just for a bit. He had learned how to play her game a long ago from people who knew how to play it far better than she. It was a game he refused to play with her. There were some games he would have loved to play with her, however. He fought the urge to smile broadly as he thought of a few games he would enjoy with the young, beautiful, fiery princess. Instead, he forced his mind to go blank as his eyes quickly scanned the predominantly red room. The princess was nowhere in sight. Another game she liked to play to keep her opponent off balance. Simply he shrugged his shoulders.

"You wished to see me, Princess?"

He heard the beaded curtain being pulled back. His eyes immediately moved toward the back left of the apartment, where he knew the princess's bedroom was situated. A normal man's heart would have immediately skipped a beat at seeing the beautiful scantily clad woman standing before him. Her red outfit perfectly complimented every curve of her body, and she had a lot of curves to compliment. He watched patiently as she slinked across the room toward him. This was yet another game she enjoyed playing to assert her dominance. However, this man had had years of training to avoid pitfalls, even beautiful ones such as this. His thoughts kept returning him to the job. Patiently he stood by the door stoically and allowed the princess to play her games.

When she reached the elegant living room, she detoured to take a seat on the white cushioned lounge chair facing the door. She crossed her legs to allow the part in her gown to reveal her perfectly shaped, tanned thighs. Her eyes scanned the intruder for any signs of weakness she could exploit. She found none. Inwardly she frowned slightly.

"I suppose you know why I summoned you," she began.

The man nodded once. "I have a pretty good idea," he replied in all seriousness. "The coronation is in three days, after all."

The princess frowned, nodded. "Go on."

He looked across the room and deeply into the amber eyes of the princess. "You want your sister Ardala dead."

Princess Anderia shot to her feet and glared at the assassin. "Never say her name in my presence again!" she hissed.

It took a long moment and several deep breaths before she had calmed down to speak again. Instead of returning to her seat, she moved lithely to a shelf to the left of her lounge chair. After pouring herself a drink, she returned to her chair. Smoothly she crossed her legs once more and began to sip her alcoholic beverage.

"Yes," she agreed at long last. "I have a job for you that is two-fold. First of all, I want my sister dead and I understand that you are the best."

"I served your father for many years," he answered. "I never failed Emperor Draco."

"Good. That's exactly what I wanted to hear. I have been trying to eliminate her for three months, ever since my father was killed by that ancient weapon on Bertram."

"You have?" he questioned.

"Well, not me personally. I have acquired the services of a few… men who thought they were professional enough to do the job, but none have been able to perform. I always thought my sister would be an easy target. After all, she's a ditz, has always been a ditz. But she has grown aware of her situation and surroundings. She has become cautious. And her bodyguard is rather formidable as well."

"Who is it now? Elephant man or something like that?"

Anderia grinned for the first time. "No, I believe she calls him Tiger Man Two. But not only is he a mass of impenetrable muscle, but he also has eyes in the back of his head… literally. He's a Libran. For three months no one has been able to get even near my sister. And my time is quickly running out."

"After the coronation in three days, you won't be able to touch her."

"Exactly. Once she becomes empress, I cannot move against her for at least ten years."

The assassin nodded once. "Because if she dies within the first ten years of becoming empress and she has no immediate heirs, the seat of power reverts to a democratic government ruled by the House of Interplanetary Delegates for a period of ten years."

"Yes," she fumed as she rolled her eyes. "That's the dumbest law I've ever heard."

He shrugged. "It's designed to prevent exactly what you are attempting to do right now."

"Yes, I know. So you only have three days to eliminate her. I would prefer that she be killed, but if you can at least prevent her from being at the coronation ceremony, I would then be coronated upon her absence."

"If no one is able to get near Ardala, then how am I supposed to get close?"  
Her eyes flared and her bottom lip trembled. "I told you not to use her name in my presence," she said through clenched teeth.

He bowed apologetically. "I am sorry," he lied, successfully preventing his inner smile from showing on his face. "It slipped." It was now time for him to begin his game.

Anderia quickly devoured the rest of her drink. She closed her eyes for a long moment before finally looking back up at the man still standing by the door. "She is about to make a grievous decision to leave the palace. She has a soft spot for this man… an earthling."

She produced a tiny remote control from a hidden pocket of her gown and aimed it at the wall above her well-stocked liquor shelf. The picture of a handsome man dressed in a white uniform immediately filled the entire wall. "His name is Buck Rogers."

"An Earthling?" he questioned.

She nodded. "She has always had distasteful preferences, especially in her men. She has stooped to a new low this time, however. How she could possibly fall for a pitiful, substandard human from a backwards world such as Earth is beyond me, but she is totally smitten by him. He will be her weakness and her downfall."

"How so?"

"She has insisted that he come to the coronation. In order for that to occur, she will have to meet him outside the inner core somewhere."

"Because he doesn't have the stargate access code to penetrate the inner core."

"Precisely."

"Where is this meeting going to take place?"  
"I don't know. That's your job to find out. Do I have to do everything for you?"  
He grinned slightly. "It would make my job easier."

Anderia was not amused. "This job is not going to be easy no matter who I assign it to. You appear to be the best among all the contacts I've made. Just be sure of this; I will not accept failure. I want my sister dead."

"You said that the job was two-fold. What's the second half of the contract?"

"When you find my sister, you will undoubtedly find this Earthling Rogers beside her. After you eliminate her, I want you to plant information indicting him in her death. Then when I become empress, I can rally our forces over the 'untimely' death of my sister and I can vow vengeance upon the perpetrators of this travesty. I will take a strike force and totally eliminate Earth from existence. They will no longer be a thorn in our side. And once Earth is out of the way, we can expand our territory to the rest of the galaxy."

The man lifted his hand to rub his chin. "There is another way you can become empress."

She narrowed her eyes. "And what is that?"  
"Whoever becomes empress has exactly one year to take a mate. If Ardala becomes empress, we simply prevent her from getting married. Then you become empress by default."

"NO!" she exploded, rising quickly from her chair. "I want Ardala dead! Do you hear me?! I want to be empress before the week is out!"

The assassin took a quick glance at the picture still illuminated on the wall. "Do you want this Rogers alive or dead?"

She turned to face the wall. "It's much easier to frame a dead man, don't you think?"  
He smiled, nodded. "Yes it is."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Buck walked into Doctor Huer's office and slowly stepped up to the desk. "You wanted to see me, Doc?"

Huer looked up from his desk and nodded. "Yes, Buck, I did."

Buck grinned wanly. "I know what you're gonna say already."

Huer cocked his head to the side. "Really?"

"Yes. You don't want me to go to Ardala's coronation. I'm sorry, Doc, but I gave her my word that I would attend. I have to go."

Huer nodded immediately. "I agree whole heartedly."

Buck cocked his head and gave the older man a confused look. "Huh? You're not gonna try to talk me out of going? Whatcha talkin' 'bout?"

"No, no, I'm not going to talk you out of going. I think it's an excellent idea."

Buck narrowed his eyes. "What do you have up your sleeve?"

"Up… my… sleeve?" Huer questioned. "If I take your connotation that I'm planning something, no I'm not. We've never had anyone from Earth attend a royal Draconian ceremony before, especially one so close to the Security Council. I think it would be a good sign of faith to have an ambassador of Earth there in support of the Princess's official ascension to the throne."

"So you want me to go in as a spy?"

"No, no, no, not at all. Just go as a friend. I have no ulterior motives here. In the past three months since the death of her father Emperor Draco, our relations with the Draconian Empire have been markedly improved. However, we all know about Ardala's feelings for you and it might be a ploy by her to trap you into the inner core of Draconia."

"I've been inside the inner core before."

"Yes, I know. Let me ask you a question; do you trust Ardala? Why is it you really want to go?"

Buck sat down and crossed his legs. "When I rescued Ardala from Bertram and then we went searching for the power of the ancients, I noticed a change in the princess. Over those few weeks we were together, she grew up. Granted I haven't seen her since then, but from the reports I've heard and from your accounts of our relations with Draconia, she really seems to be distancing herself away from her father. That's why I feel I need to go to this coronation ceremony."

"You aren't… growing feelings for her, are you?"

Buck smiled and chuckled lightly. "I must admit that I do like the changes she's made, but I have no intentions of settling down with her in marriage, if that's what you mean. She has changed. That's why I'm more than a little worried about her."

"What do you mean? What are you worried about?"

"Her safety. I'm sure there are many within her government who don't like the changes she's made in herself or in Draconian policies. I wouldn't be surprised if someone tries to kill her before the ceremony, or at least try to prevent her from making the coronation."

Huer nodded knowingly. "Ahh, I see now. So you think you can protect her and get her to the ceremony safe and sound."

"Yes. From what I understand, if she becomes Empress, then she'll be relatively safe for at least ten years."

"Yes. Is there anyone you specifically suspect?"

"Anderia is tops on my list."

Huer nodded again. "Yes, of course. Anderia is her first sister and the second heir to the throne."

"And she's tried to kill her before. In fact, she tried to kill me and Wilma too, for that matter. If I can protect Ardala at least until she's coronated, then Anderia will have to back off."

"Good, good," Huer said, standing. "I was afraid we were starting to lose you."

"What do you mean?"

The elder man moved around the desk and sat down at the corner nearest Buck. "So _you_ have ulterior motives for seeing Ardala."

Buck grinned, shrugged sheepishly. "Yeah, I guess I do. I just don't want to see Anderia become Empress. She's the one sister most like her father Draco."

"Indeed. Am I safe in assuming that you plan to take Twiki?"

"I was planning to, why?"  
"Good. I want you to take Doctor Theopolis as well. If anything does happen, he can be our subspace liaison."

"That's probably a good idea. That'll give me some more cards to play if I need them."

Huer narrowed his eyes. "Cards to play?"

Buck simply grinned. "Options. I'll have more options if something goes wrong."

"Are you planning on something going wrong?"  
Buck winked and smirked ever so slightly as he stood. "I'm spending the next few days with Princess Ardala. When I'm with her, things usually go wrong."

Huer could do nothing but nod as Buck turned quietly and left the office.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The door buzzer sounded throughout the entire apartment. Buck stopped packing his bag and turned toward the shiny silver droid beside him.

"Well, I wonder who that could be," he said sarcastically.

"Beep-be-de-de-beep: you wanna lay down some odds?"

Buck narrowed his eyes briefly and then grinned. "Not against you."

"Beep-be-de-de-beep: party pooper. Heh heh."

Buck quickly crossed the room and opened the door without even looking at the ID plate on the wall. Even before the door was completely open, Wilma barged into the room. She immediately noticed the open suitcase that Buck had been packing. She crossed her arms and turned to face him.

"I can't believe you're going through with this," she said.

"What?" Buck questioned.

"Are you so eager to see Ardala again that you're ready to leave at the drop of a cat?"

Buck gave her a puzzled glance for a brief moment. "Drop of a hat," he corrected her. "You know, you really should stop trying to use my phrases if you're not going to get them right."

Wilma sighed quickly and frowned. "It doesn't stop the fact that you seem so eager to drop everything for Ardala!"

"I would do the same for you too, you know."

"Sometimes I wonder."

Buck rolled his eyes as he went back to his bag. He threw a couple more shirts into the bag before securing the fasteners. "I'm not doing this for Princess Ardala."

Wilma's eyes flared. "Then you're doing this for yourself?"

Buck chuckled for only a moment. "Hardly. I'm doing it for Earth."

This time Wilma rolled her eyes. "Of all the lame-"

Buck crossed the room and set the bag down on the little kitchenette table. "How have our diplomatic relations been with Draconia for the past three months, ever since Draco's death?"

Wilma started to say something but suddenly stopped. Her eyes narrowed somewhat and her head cocked to one side as she thought about Buck's question. After a long moment, she finally replied. "Actually it's the best relations I've ever known with Draconia. When Draco was emperor, we were always having problems with them, whether directly or indirectly."

"And since Ardala has been in charge, so to speak, albeit in a limited capacity?"

"We're actually in talks about opening up more evenly distributed trade routes."

Buck nodded. "In your opinion, what would happen if something were to happen to Ardala and she missed the coronation?"

Once more Wilma stopped to ponder the question for a moment. "Well first of all, her sister Anderia would become empress."

"And how would that affect our relations with Draconia?"

Her eyes suddenly widened. "From what little we know about her, she is the one daughter of Draco that is most like he was. We know firsthand how ruthless she is."

Buck nodded. "We know what she's like from personal experience. Like I told Doctor Huer, she's already tried to kill you, me, and Ardala. She wouldn't hesitate to find the smallest of reasons to do something drastic to Earth if she were empress."

"So you think she might try to assassinate Ardala?"

"I do. I definitely wouldn't put it past her. If Ardala officially becomes empress, our relations with Draconia will drastically improve."

"Your relations with Ardala will improve or Earth's relations with Draconia?" Wilma asked.

Buck glared at her for a quick instant. "Funny."

"I do have to admit one thing; if it weren't for you, Ardala wouldn't be so friendly toward Earth."

Buck frowned. "Don't remind me. She always did have the hots for me, and it didn't get any better after we rescued her from Bertram."

"Beep-be-de-de-beep: It's rough being the hero."

Buck nodded. "But if Ardala is killed or even delayed to the point where she misses the coronation, we're all in trouble."

"So you're just going to ensure her safety."

"Beep-be-de-de-beep: Buck'll have her covered; heh heh."

"Shut up, Twiki," Buck muttered.

"Does Doctor Huer know about this?"

"What?"

"Your fears of an assassination attempt?"

"Yes. I talked to him this morning. He agrees with my assessment of the situation. In fact I have to stop at the Security Council office before I leave to pick up Theo. We figure the best chance Anderia has to assassinate Ardala is when she's escorting me to Draconia. That's when she'll be the most vulnerable."

"Then why risk it? Why does she have to escort you to Draconia?"

"Because I don't have the stargate code to the inner core."

Wilma nodded in understanding. "And she can't simply transmit the code. Someone could break the encryption."

"Exactly."

"But why does she have to be on the flagship to escort you?"

Buck cocked his head and stared at her blankly. "Are you really asking that question?"

Wilma nodded, rolled her eyes. "Of course, she has to be there. But why do you have to be her bodyguard? Doesn't she have Tiger Man 2, now?"

"Who would you rather have as a bodyguard?" Buck asked in all seriousness.

Wilma didn't take long to think that question over. She instantly nodded once.

"Beep-be-de-de-beep: it's a tough job but someone's got to do it."

Buck tapped the droid on the head. "You got that right." He turned toward Wilma. "Actually there is another reason I have to go."

She looked at him blankly. "What?"

He stared into Wilma's eyes without blinking. "I gave her a promise that I would be there."

Again she nodded in understanding. "I know how you are after you give your word to someone."

"I wish you could come with us."

"Do you?" she questioned. "I'd just be a fifth wheel."

Buck smiled broadly. "Hey, you got that one right!"

"Huh?"

"Fifth wheel!" His smile faded. "Yes, I do wish you could come. It'd be easier to protect her with both of us watching. Also, I expect the ceremony itself to be very cool… if I actually get a chance to see it."

Wilma nodded as Buck picked up his bag. "Just do me a favor; be careful, okay?"

Buck grinned as he threw the bag over his shoulder. "I'll be fine. What's the worst that could happen?"

"Beep-be-de-de-beep: we could all die."

Buck tapped the droid once more. "Shut up, Twiki."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The feel of the expert hands massaging her back nearly sent the beautiful princess into a deep sleep. She moaned softly as her tensions disappeared and her excitement arose. Thoughts of seeing Buck again thrilled her to no end. What really made her happy was his willingness to come see her. She didn't have to kidnap him or coerce him this time. He was coming of his own freewill. A smile slowly began to form across her sparkling lips. Images, memories, and daydreams of Buck streaked through her mind endlessly until she heard a faint sound of a faraway door opening. Another long moment passed before she heard another sound; the voice of a not-so-happy first officer.

"Princess," the man in the black uniform started.

Still groggy, Princess Ardala opened her eyes hesitantly to stare at the wall. She sighed softly, then flopped her head to the other side. "What is it, Kane?" she asked.

"We've reached the rendezvous point."

Instantly Ardala's eyes widened and her senses perked up. "Really?" she asked excitedly. "But I thought you said it was going to take a few hours."

"It did," Kane replied with a slight sigh. "You were asleep."

She averted her eyes to look at the woman who had been giving her the massage. The masseuse simply grinned and nodded. Ardala smiled as she sat up, holding the thick white fur blanket to her chest. "Well let's go meet the good captain, shall we?"  
"He's not here yet."  
Crestfallen, her face frowned noticeably. "Why not?"

"You made us leave too soon. We are a little early," Kane announced. "Six hours early."

"Very well. I'll get something to eat and then meet you on the bridge later."

Kane bowed and left the room. Slowly Ardala sauntered across the room to her massive closet full of sexy outfits. She stood there and stared at them for several moments, lost in deep contemplation.

"Which one shall I wear," she asked as if the perfect outfit would jump out at her.

For the third time in the last twenty minutes Buck reached a hand to his neck to readjust the collar of his dress uniform. He then sighed loudly.

"Beep-be-de-de-beep: You're hot to trot, Buck."

Buck frowned as he turned toward Twiki. "I just hate formal dress," he muttered.

"Captain Rogers," Theo started. "Are you sure you are feeling well? Your pulse rate is elevated."

"Hmm?" he replied with a low growl. "I feel like I'm going to prom."

"You do realize that you didn't have to dress up just to meet the Draconia," Theo answered. "The coronation isn't for another two days."

"I know, I know. I just hate being out dressed and you know the princess is gonna be dressed to the teeth."

"Beep-be-de-de-beep: She always is. She's a knockout."

Buck simply nodded as he checked his flight navigator. "Stargate coming up in one minute. The Draconia should be waiting for us, if I know Ardala."

"Beep-be-de-de-beep: She's probably been waiting for us for three hours."

Again Buck simply nodded and grinned.

"Yes, she is always very excited to see you, Captain Rogers."

"Beep-be-de-de-beep: She has a crush on you."

"You do know what this coronation means, though," Theo added. "I mean beyond the obvious certification of leadership."

Out of the corner of his eye Buck glanced at the computer hanging from Twiki's neck. "What?" he asked hesitantly.

"Empress Ardala will have only one year to wed or she will be forced to forfeit the throne to her sister Anderia."

"Beep-be-de-de-beep: And guess who she wants to marry."

Buck turned his attention back to the stargate before him. "Yeah, don't remind me. We'll have to cross that bridge when we get there." He took a deep breath and held it for a long moment. "Stargate in three… two… one."

As soon as they exited the stargate, the massive Flagship Draconia appeared on the view screen, even before the dizziness cleared Buck's head. Almost immediately a male's voice sounded throughout the cockpit.

"Flagship Draconia to Earth vessel; I assume that's you, Captain Rogers?"

Buck tapped a button on the side of his helmet. "It's me, Kane. Am I late?"  
"Negative, Captain. You appear to be right on time. Sit back and relax; we'll bring you in to Hangar One."

"Roger."

Buck disengaged the radio and turned to look at Twiki beside him. "Why do I have a strange feeling something's gonna go wrong?"

"Beep-be-de-de-beep: Because when Ardala is concerned, something usually does." 

Ardala waited impatiently for Buck's shuttle to land. Even before the legs touched down, she was moving toward the ramp of the ship. When the hatch finally opened, her eyes widened and she released an audible gasp. Buck slowly stepped down the ramp to meet her on the floor of the hangar.

"Buck, darling, you look fantastic!"

Buck had to smile in spite of himself. How he hated wearing the uncomfortable dress uniforms, but the positive compliments always seemed to outweigh the discomfiture.

"Thanks, Princess. You don't look so bad yourself."

"Beep-be-de-de-beep: Hubba hubba."

Buck smiled as he rested a hand atop the ambuquad's head. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long."

She shrugged. "We've been here for about six hours, but I don't mind waiting… for you!"

"Beep-be-de-de-beep."

Twiki started to say something until Buck smacked him on top of his head with a gentle but firm fist. He smiled at Ardala. "So what kind of activities do you have planned until the big day?"

Ardala's smile widened until it covered her whole face. "Oh, I'm sure we can find something to pass the time," she said as she hooked her arm into his.

Just then Kane's voice sounded over the PA system. "All personnel prepare for stargate jump into the Inner Core. Jump in twenty seconds."

Buck instantly looked around for the nearest thing to hold onto. His free hand grasped the ramp of the shuttle. Ardala winked at him and smiled. "I love it," she cooed sexily. "I do believe I've found the one weakness of the great Buck Rogers."

"I hate stargates," he muttered.

"Beep-be-de-de-beep: Just like kryptonite."

"Huh?"

As the ship lurched slightly, Ardala 'lost' her balance and fell into Buck's arms. She looked up into his eyes and winked. "Nice catch!"

Before Buck could answer, the ship lurched again as it exited the stargate. Just as Twiki started to say something, a shrill alarm sounded throughout the hangar. A muffled explosion deep within the ship caused another shutter coursing through the massive frame of the flagship.

"Abandon ship!" Kane's panicked voice sounded over the PA system. "A massive explosion has occurred in Engine Rooms 2 and 3. Emergency counter measures have temporarily contained the explosions, but will only hold for approximately five minutes. When these measures fail, the Flagship Draconia will implode. Once again, all personnel are ordered to abandon ship. Security, find the Princess! She must be kept safe!"

Ardala's eyes widened. "What?" she hissed. "Who would try to blow up my ship?"

"Your sister," Buck stated matter of factly.

"What? Anderia? She wouldn't dare!"

Buck looked at her with a blank look. "Really? She tried to kill you before."

"May I suggest that we discuss this later after we have exited the Draconia?" Theo said calmly.

Ardala nodded and turned. "Yes, of course. My emergency pod is right there," Ardala said as she pointed across the hangar.

Buck grabbed her by the wrist and nearly threw her into the shuttle. "This one's closer!"

He jumped up the ramp after her and rushed to the pilot's seat.

"Beep-be-de-de-beep: Wait for me!"

Buck quickly fired the shuttle's engines and maneuvered into the launch tube before the hangar could become a massive hub of activity. Within seconds they were hurtling through the blackness of space. Buck looked back at the computer hanging around Twiki's neck.

"Theo, see if you can figure out where we are. And alert Kane and let him know we have the princess."

"It's going to take a minute."

"Oh, that's okay," Buck said sarcastically. "Take all the time you need." Buck turned back toward the view screen and pointed. "There's the stargate! I'm making a break for it!"

"We won't make it before the Draconia detonates."

Buck's face turned rigid as he forced the ship to speed up. "Watch me!"

The cockpit went silent for well over three minutes before Theo broke the silence. "I have determined our current position. I am sending the coordinates to your navigational computer."

Buck intently glared at his console until the transfer was completed. Then he nodded. "Got it. Programming the stargate."

"Buck!" Ardala screamed. "Hurry up! The Draconia's starting to glow!"

Suddenly the large flagship turned into a massive fireball. Before the shuttle could reach the stargate, the shock wave struck it at an angle, sending the ship into a tailspin. Buck expertly maneuvered the shuttle to regain control, then angled the ship into the first shock wave. As the shuttle turned, he and Ardala gasped at the sight before them; a second, massive, visible shockwave.

"Beep-be-de-de-beep: This is gonna hurt!"

"Buck!" she screamed again.

Just then the stargate opened. Buck looked at Theo out of the corner of his eye. "I see it. What happens if you go into a stargate backwards?"

"I am not aware of anyone who has tried."

Buck grimaced as he took a deep breath and held it. "Well we're gonna find out! Everyone hang on!"


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"Beep-be-de-de-beep: Beep-be-de-de-beep: Help! I'm BLIND!"

Cautiously Buck opened his eyes and looked around the cockpit. Light streamed into the cockpit from the many view screens of the shuttle. He had to blink several times until his eyes adjusted to the bright light. He looked to his right to see Ardala slumped forward, resting against the console before her. Directly behind her seat on the floor flailed Twiki. Buck almost laughed as he watched the two short silver legs and even shorter arms of the prone ambuquad flying up and down. He shook his head a few times to clear the cobwebs from his brain.

"Hang on, Little Buddy," he said through the headache. "I'm coming."

"Buck? Where are you, Buck!? I can't see!"

"Hang on, Twiki; you're lying on your stomach. Give me a minute; I'll be right there."

He released the straps on his pilot chair and started to stand. However, one of the straps didn't quite release completely, which sent Buck crashing back into the chair. "Ow, that's gonna leave a mark," he muttered.

After releasing the strap again and testing it, he staggered to his feet and moved to lift Twiki back to his feet. As he did, Twiki stumbled forward into Ardala's chair, bouncing her head off the console in front of her.

"All right, I'm awake!" she groggily mumbled. "I'll have your head for touching the princess!"

Buck gently lifted her head and moved her into an upright position. Her eyes fluttered open to see Buck's face outlined by the blue sky in the windows behind him. She smiled.

"Oh, sorry. I forgot where I was." Her smile grew. "You're a sight for sore eyes!" She moved her head hesitantly to stretch her neck as she frowned. "Literally."

Buck turned to look out the window. The shuttle appeared to be resting on a beach overlooking a good sized circular lake. Tall spruce trees completely encircled the lake on all sides. He looked at Ardala out of the corner of his eye.

"Any idea where we are?"  
She shrugged painfully. "I've never seen this place."

Buck merely nodded as he sat down in front of his navigational computer. He did a few quick observations and calculations before sighing and leaning back in his seat. "Well this is no help either."

"Is the navigational computer not working?" Theo asked.

"Oh no, it's working."

"Then what is the problem?"

"It keeps telling me, 'Not enough information to compute.'"

"That's odd."

"Yeah, tell me about it. Any idea how long we were unconscious?"

Theo paused for a moment. "Negative. There is another curiosity with this situation."

"What's that?"

"My internal chronometer is not functioning. I have no way of determining time."

Ardala closed her eyes and leaned back in the chair. "Great," she said sarcastically. "We could have already missed the coronation."

"I doubt it," Buck replied.

"Why?"

He grinned slightly and winked at the princess. "If we were unconscious for two days, I'd be a lot hungrier than I am." He stood up and headed for the exit at the back of the shuttle.

"Where are you going, Buck darling!"

"Outside to look for damage."

"Twiki, take me outside too. Maybe I can ascertain where we are manually."

"Hey, wait! Don't leave me here all by myself!"

Buck returned to Ardala's seat and reached down a hand. "Well come on, then."

He led her to the release hatch and then walked down the ramp to the white sandy beach. Together they walked a lap around the shuttle but couldn't see any obvious signs of damage. Buck used a hand to shield his eyes from the reddish sun high in the sky to look for any tree damage the shuttle might have caused; there appeared to be none. By all indications of the immediate area, it looked like the shuttle had made a soft landing in the sandy soil.

"Excellent flying, Captain Rogers," Theo complimented. "My external scans do not detect any exterior damage to the shuttle at all."

Buck smirked sheepishly. "I don't know how I did it. I must have blacked out. I don't remember anything after we entered the stargate."

"Beep-be-de-de-beep: you always say you can fly in your sleep."

He turned to Twiki and smiled. "Yeah I do, don't I? Theo; any idea where we are?"

"I have taken into account our speed and approximate starting position outside the stargate and factored in the course and heading you programmed into the stargate. Based on our speed and trajectory, we are most likely somewhere in the Delta sector."

Buck furrowed his brows as he turned to look at the droid. "In other words you don't have a clue where we are."

"Beep-be-de-de-beep: That's what he said."  
"Perhaps when it gets dark I can do a visual and spectral analysis of the local stars to triangulate our position."

Buck nodded as he took the sun's position into account. "That'll be a couple hours. I say if there's no apparent damage to the shuttle, let's see if it'll start and we can leave."

They slowly shuffled back inside the shuttle and assumed their positions. Buck performed his pre flight checks and then tapped the ignition button but nothing happened. He gave Ardala an unsure glance and then tried again. Still the shuttle's engines would not start. Angrily he slammed his fist against the arm of his chair and disengaged the rest of the systems.

"No good. She won't start."

"Twiki, take me to the navigational console. Maybe I can run a diagnostic on the system."

"In the meantime the princess and I can take a little hike around the lake to see what we can find."

"I'll also analyze our flight path to see if we may have flown over any signs of civilization."

"Good idea. We should be back before it gets dark." He looked down at Ardala. "Are you up for a hike, Princess?"

"I'm up for anything if you're with me," she said with a smirk and a gleam in her eye.

Hand in hand they left the ship and started walking down the beach of the lake. The warm sun and the cool breeze felt good on both their bodies and their spirits. Ardala looked at Buck and allowed a tiny grin to crease her face. He tried to ignore the fact that she was looking at him, but finally he had to stop and turn to face her.

"What?"  
She quickly looked away. "Nothing," she muttered.

Buck pulled her hand, spinning Ardala into his chest. "What?" he repeated.

She tried not to look up into his eyes but she simply couldn't resist. "I've had dreams of this day, you know?"

He cocked his head to one side. "What are you talking about?"

"Being stranded… alone… with you."

"This is no laughing matter, Princess. We're in a real pickle here."

She narrowed her eyes. "What is a pickle?"

Buck simply shook his head. "Never mind."

He then turned and continued walking down the beach. Ardala looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "I wasn't laughing," she said softly. "I was being serious. I'm not the same spoiled little girl I was when we first met, you know."

Buck nodded. "Yes, Princess, I know. I'm sorry; I didn't mean to upset you. I'm just trying to figure out how we're going to get us out of here and get you back for your coronation."

"Of all the times my ship had to pick to blow up," she complained.

Once again Buck stopped walking to turn and look at the princess. "You think this was an accident?" he asked incredulously.

"You think it wasn't?" she countered.

"If you don't make the coronation, who benefits the most?"

She thought for only a brief moment before her eyes flared with anger. "Anderia!"

Buck nodded. "And I wouldn't put this past her. She's tried to kill you before."

Ardala let go of Buck's hand and started walking up the beach alone. He let her go a few steps before she stopped and looked out across the calm surface of the lake. "I understand what my role is," she said into the cool breeze. "I understand that I am to become Empress. I have been trained, groomed, and tutored all my life to become Empress. I also realize that my role of becoming Empress must override any personal desire I may harbor, including being stranded with you." She paused for a long, pensive moment. "I know what will happen if we do not get back in time. Anderia will be crowned Empress and the Draconian Empire will revert to the same cruelties that my father subjected the galaxy to, and all the progress I've made over the past three months will be lost."

Buck quietly stepped up behind her and placed his hands on her hips. "That's not going to happen. I'll get you to the church on time."

She spun around quickly and placed her hands on his chest. "All my life I've looked forward to becoming Empress and stamping my mark on the galaxy." She sighed. "But when I'm with you like this… everything simply disappears and all I want is you." Buck started to say something but she put her fingers on his lips to stop him. "Don't get me wrong; I _want_ to become Empress… but I also want to enjoy all the time I can spend with you."

Buck smiled weakly. "After we get back to the palace we can think about enjoying our time together. Until then we need to focus on how to get you back and quickly."

She nodded once. "Buck?"

"Hmm?"

She lowered her head until she could barely see Buck's face out of the tops of her eyes. An ever so slight grin formed on the corners of her mouth. "If I sound like I'm enjoying your company too much, don't hate me for it."

Buck's smile widened as he lifted her chin and leaned forward to give her a brief, tender kiss. "I won't hold it against you."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

The sun had nearly disappeared over the western trees by the time Buck and Ardala returned to the downed shuttle. They entered the cockpit to see Twiki still standing at the navigational console.

"Beep-be-de-de-beep: have a nice walk, Buck?"

Buck frowned. "We didn't find any signs of civilization at all. We found a bunch of animal tracks, fish, and birds, but no signs of people."

"I was also unsuccessful in my analysis of our flight path," Doctor Theopolis announced. "All systems indicate our trajectory did not identify any possible signs of civilization along our flight path. I looked for changes in ambient temperature, radiation, ionized particles, any signs of artificial chemical processes: there was nothing to indicate any towns or cities or any hint of civilization."

"Then how did we land so perfectly?" Buck asked. "I blacked out. I didn't land this ship, and I know Ardala didn't land it."

"How do you know I didn't land this ship?"

"We'd either be upside down somewhere or in the lake," he said with a smirk.

"Oh, you're terrible!"

Buck turned toward Twiki. "What about the engines? Did you figure out why they won't start?"

"All my diagnostics determined that there is nothing wrong with the engines or the igniters," Theo replied. "There does appear to be some sort of electro-magnetic field interfering with the ignition process, however."

"E-M field? Natural or artificial?"

"Unknown."

"This isn't good news. We only have thirty-six hours to get Ardala back to Draconia for the coronation. If we can't get the ship started and get off this planet, then who knows what Anderia will do to the Empire and Earth."

"Yes, of course I agree, Captain Rogers. However, there is another issue that I am somewhat concerned about but ashamed to admit."

"What?"

"Although it doesn't necessarily affect our situation here, my internal chronometer appears to also be affected by the electro-magnetic field in the same way the shuttle's igniters are."

"Huh?" Ardala asked, cocking her head to the side.

"Beep-be-de-de-beep: his watch stopped."

"I wouldn't worry too much about that, Doc. If we don't get off this planet by tomorrow night, it won't matter what time it is."

"Indeed."

Buck turned to Ardala. "You hungry?"  
She nodded. "I'm ravished."

Buck went to the back of the shuttle, opened a gray cabinet, and retrieved a small black box. He opened the box and pulled out a few food discs.

"Here ya go," he said, frowning.

Ardala's displeasure immediately crossed her face. "You don't have any real food?"

"Sorry. I wasn't planning on spending a lot of time in here. I figured we would've been back at the palace by now."

Ardala sighed, but accepted one of the food discs. A noticeable frown appeared on her lips, but she said nothing.

"Come on, Twiki, let's go outside. It's getting dark. Maybe Theo can figure out where we are by the position of the stars."

"Beep-be-de-de-beep."

Buck helped Twiki down the ramp and to the beach of the small lake while Ardala followed quietly. The last pinkish rays of sunlight still streaked the darkening sky. Buck looked up but couldn't see any hints of starlight yet.

"Guess it's still a little early."

Ardala shivered noticeably and then moved to put her head on Buck's shoulder. "It's getting cold," she said softly.

Buck looked at the skimpy outfit Ardala wore. "Yeah, I can see why you're getting cold."

"Well I didn't exactly have time to pack a bag."

Buck grinned, nodded. "I know. It's a good thing we gathered up some wood, then. I'll build a fire." He took off his flight jacket and handed it to Ardala. "Here. This'll keep you warm till I can get a fire going."

While Buck worked on building a fire, Theo had Twiki set him on a flat rock facing the darkening sky. Within minutes Buck had a small but warm fire burning near the edge of the lake. He sat down in the sand and turned toward Ardala. She looked down at her outfit and thought about saying something, but when she looked back into Buck's smiling face she simply shrugged and returned the smile. She sat down beside him and tried to snuggle as close as she could. Buck put his arm around her shoulder and gently pulled her closer.

"I could get used to this," she muttered softly.

Buck grinned as his eyes studied the Princess's beautiful features. "You know, Princess, I really like the new you."

"Really?" she asked with a sexy smile and a wink.  
He nodded, then turned to stare into the embers of the fire. "If we weren't in such a rush to get you back to the palace, I wouldn't mind spending a few days here with you."

She squeezed his hand and smiled. "I'm going to hold you to that, Buck Rogers!"

Buck turned back to Twiki, waited for him to make some sarcastic comment, but Twiki simply stood there behind him, motionless. His eyes were darkened.

"Huh," Buck stated curiously. "He must have turned himself off."

They sat in silence for several minutes, simply enjoying the closeness and the warmth of the fire. Half an hour passed before Dr. Theopolis spoke, breaking Buck's reveries and bringing him back to reality. Ardala snored softly beside him.

"Captain Rogers, I'm afraid that I have some more bad news… and some rather disturbing news."

Buck sighed, shrugged the shoulder Ardala wasn't sleeping on. "Of course you do. What else could go wrong?"

"I have been observing the sky but I have come to the conclusion that I will be unable to determine our position from the visible stars."

"Why not?"  
"Because there are no visible stars."

Buck's eyes widened. "What?"

"The sky is completely barren," Theo explained. "There are no stars."

Buck looked up at the sky in utter disbelief. Sure enough, not a single point of light appeared. "Did it suddenly get cloudy?" he wondered.

"Negative. It is still as clear atmospherically now as it was when we landed. There are simply no stars in the sky to observe."

"How is that possible? What could cause that?"

"I have no explanation, unless the stargate experienced a massive overload and sent us to a random solar system outside of our galaxy."

Again Buck's eyes widened. "What?!"

"There are innumerable stars and planets outside of the galaxy. Every year gravitational interactions send stars flying into the space between galaxies. The space in between galaxies is immense. We wouldn't have to be very far from a galaxy to have it appear to be no stars in the known universe."

"But how could we be outside the galaxy?"

"The explosion of the Draconia put a lot of stress on the stargate's connection to other stargates. It also would have sent a lot of anti-matter into the stargate as we entered. It could have sent us anywhere."

"So you're saying we might never make it back home even if we do get the engines started."

"If we are outside of the galaxy, there are no stargates within range of this shuttle. Not only will we not get the Princess back in time for her coronation, by the time we got back to any kind of civilization, you will have been dead for over a thousand years."  
Buck sighed as he glanced back at the sleeping princess. "Was that the bad news or the disturbing news?"

"It depends upon your perspective. The other news I have really concerns me, or rather Twiki and me. The electro-magnetic field that is permeating the atmosphere here is not only preventing the engines from starting, but it is also affecting us. It is affecting every electrical system."

"How so?"

"The electro-magnetic field seems to be draining and possibly absorbing all energy in the immediate vicinity. Twiki has already succumbed to the energy drain."

"That would explain why he's so quiet."

"Indeed. Unfortunately, the field is also affecting me. I have more shielding around my central core, but at my current rate of depletion, I will cease all operations before the sun comes up in the morning."

Buck frowned as he looked back into the fire. "That leaves me alone on an alien planet with nothing and no one but Princess Ardala." He sighed as he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "What did I ever do to deserve this?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Once more he found himself in front of this very same door. How many years had passed without ever being down this entire wing of the palace, and now he had seen this door twice in two days? This time, however, he did not pause at all before depressing the call button. After all, he had nothing to hide.

When the door opened he quickly stepped inside. The princess was already in the living room area. He smiled to himself. Apparently she wasn't in the mood to play games today.

She whirled around to glare at him angrily. "What have you done?" she hissed.

His expression remained unchanged. "You wanted your sister dead, did you not?"

Angrily she took several steps toward him. "This is NOT what we had planned!" she screamed. "I said to kill her and then frame the Earthling! I did NOT tell you to destroy a perfectly good superfortress and 20,000 crewmen, while destroying Stargate 17 all at the same time!"

Calmly he strolled over to the liquor cabinet and bravely poured himself a drink. He then turned around and sat down on the couch. "Actually, Princess," he said between sips. "I have some news about that."

"What?!"  
He shrugged. "I didn't have anything to do with that."

Anderia narrowed her eyes dangerously. "What?" she asked incredulously.

He shrugged again, took another drink. "If you were to destroy a ship that size, you would need at least two, maybe three neutrino bombs. Although I do have the resources to do that, I frankly couldn't, not on the short time table you put me on. My plan was to assassinate her in a more… conventional manner."

"So what are you saying?"  
"I didn't have anything to do with the destruction of the Flagship Superfortress Draconia."

"Then who did?"

He took another drink. "Apparently someone else wanted your sister dead."

Anderia sat down in her luxurious chair. She smiled sardonically. "I must find out who so I can properly thank them."

"That may not be such a wise thing."

"Why? Whoever killed my sister has just done me a fantastic favor."

"Unless…"

Her eyes narrowed again. "Unless what?"

He shrugged once more. "Unless you're next."

Her eyes flared with anger. "Who would want me dead?"  
He downed the rest of his drink, then smirked. "How many sisters do you have?"

Anderia did not answer. 

Wilma stepped into the office silently and moved to stand in front of the large desk. When she cleared her throat softly, Dr. Huer nearly fell out of the seat. He put a hand to his chest and took a deep breath. "Oh, Colonel Deering, I didn't see you come in. You nearly gave me a heart attack."

"Sorry, Doctor Huer. I didn't mean to scare you."

"I was just absorbed in my work, that's all. Why are you here so late?"

"You left a message that you wanted to see me."

"I did? Oh yes, that's right, I did."

"Is everything all right, Doctor Huer? Have you heard from Buck?"

Huer stood up and slowly stepped to the window overlooking the city of New Chicago. "Colonel, you may wish to sit down."

Panic and fear instantly leaped into her throat. "What's happened?" she asked, trying in vain to keep the concern out of her voice.

Huer paused/hesitated for several moments before speaking once more. "Now mind you we don't have any confirmation of anything yet," he started slowly, picking his words carefully as he continued to look out the window.

Wilma tried to move toward the window but for some reason her body refused to comply. "Doctor Huer?"

Finally he turned to face the worried woman before him. "Long range sensors have detected a massive explosion in the vicinity of Stargate 17."

"That's where Buck was meeting-"

Suddenly she knew. She couldn't bring herself to finish her statement. Huer simply nodded as he deliberately made his way back to his chair. "The explosion is comparable to the destruction of a Draconian Superfortress."

"Have… have you sent anyone to investigate?" she stammered.

"There's a problem with that. The explosion has apparently either disabled Stargate 17… or destroyed it. We cannot get any kind of connection to it and it is in deep, deep space."

"Well there has to be something we can do!"

Huer shrugged. "All we can do is prepare for a new Empress; possibly not the one we expected. If Princess Ardala and Buck were indeed on that superfortress when it exploded…"

Wilma closed her eyes, trying to fight back her tears. She never thought she'd be praying for Ardala's safety.


End file.
